Focus Forward

Surrounded by lush green trees and less than 15 mins away from the office blocks, Grafton Valley is one of Auckland’s best-kept secrets. Tucked right in the heart of Auckland CBD and nestled within Symonds Street Cemetery , one of the oldest cemeteries in Auckland, most people rush past it every day, on the southern motorway or bus across Grafton Bridge, unaware of the peaceful escape beneath them. Grafton Valley Walkway The valley can be accessed from Symonds St by the motorway ramp or from. St. Martins Lane . It is easy to reach by public transport, with plenty of buses running from Waitematā (formerly Britomart ) and Newmarket , as the area is part of Auckland Transport’s Central Connector . If you enter through the Symonds Street entrance by the motorway ramp, you will come across the grave of William Hobson , the first Governor of New Zealand . From there, the walk continues gently through the cemetery and surrounding trees, where calm is occasionally broken by the distant hum o...

New Zealand has always punched above its weight in tech. I remember when I first arrived in the country in 2007 and was genuinely amazed by EFTPOS . I'd spend even $1 or 50c using the card machine. Back in India , we would never have done that; you'd always use cash for such small change. EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) machines were first trialled in NZ in the mid-1980s but spread rapidly in the 1900s once there was a mass critical of both cards and machines. By 1997, EFTPOS had become the dominant payment method in New Zealand. (Image Source: Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand )   Fast forward to 2025 . While India has moved way ahead in developing payment solutions, from instant QR code systems to seamless bank-to-bank transfers , New Zealand's digital infrastructure feels like it's still buffering. The irony is stark: New Zealand was the early mover in the 1980s. EFTPOS was literally a world-class innovation built right here, a system that th...

Have you ever been rejected not because you lack talent, but because you used the "wrong" brand of hammer? Imagine you are a master carpenter. You have spent years framing houses, crafting cabinets, and understanding the physics of wood. You apply for a job, and the foreman asks, "I see you’ve been using Black & Decker tools. Can you use Bosch ?" You would laugh because the question sounds absurd. To a carpenter, a drill is a drill. Yet, in the white-collar world, this absurdity is standard practice. Now picture this: You are a seasoned professional. You understand user insights, you track behaviours intuitively, and you can analyse website heatmaps in your sleep.  But the job description demands Hotjar . You apply, confident that if you can master one interface, you can master another in an afternoon. The result? Your application vanishes into the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) void. The "Same Difference" Matrix This is not an isolated incident; it...

The downsizing of Oprah's show is not just a story for 2025; it's a warning for 2026. Audience expectations are changing; they are becoming more selective than ever, and attention is the most valuable currency any brand, even a creator, can earn. If people don't see the immediate value, they scroll past, online or offline. Digital marketers in New Zealand and around the world need to rethink how they can capture attention in 2026. The data-driven strategies are not optional; they're essential for a digital marketing campaign . Understanding audience behaviour , search intent , and engagement patterns will separate the campaigns that thrive from the ones with lower or zero engagement. SEO , content strategy , and discoverability are still your lifelines. But in 2026, they need to be smarter, faster, and more adaptive than ever. Live events , including the performing arts , face the same reality. The famous big names won't guarantee a full house. The artist shoul...